The Internet has enabled a level of information access that was previously unobtainable. For example, in post-Internet society, when a user desires information relating to a particular subject, such as available flights between an origin and a destination on specific dates, he or she may simply submit a search query that describes the subject to an Internet search engine. In response to receiving the search query, the search engine may scour various data sources on the Internet for data relevant to the search query, process the data, and provide the processed data to the user for review. Alternatively, the search engine may search and cache data from the various data sources in advance of receiving the search query, and then provide the cached data to the user when the search query is received. Under either approach, from the user's perspective, the Internet search engine provides the user with near-instantaneous access to several remote data sources via a single gateway.
Notwithstanding these benefits, certain issues arise when the Internet is utilized to search remote data sources. For example, while the amount of data available via the Internet is massive, the amount of computer resources and Internet infrastructure available for communicating, storing, and processing such data is relatively limited. Consequently, an inherent tension exists between providing fast response times and providing comprehensive, accurate results for each search query. Furthermore, because Internet data sources can be affected or changed by computer processes originated by any number of users, in practically any geographic location, and at any time, data returned by an Internet search engine may already be outdated or be outdated soon thereafter.
Accordingly, a need exists for improved systems, methods, and computer program products for updating previously submitted and stored search queries and generating notifications based thereon.